Chapter 7 - The Mermaid Princess's Little Brother

Translator's Note:

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With others, Glen often wished time would pass swiftly, eager for the next task—reading books, practicing swordsmanship, riding on horseback, or visiting the dolphin in the underground grotto. Yet with Rito, things were different. Even when a lull fell in their conversation, there was no awkwardness, no desire for time to hurry along. Instead, he wished for the moments to stretch on, lasting as long as possible.

 

"Rito, there's something I've been meaning to ask you."

 

"Yes, my lord? What is it?" Rito replied, as they ascended the dimly lit stairs.

 

Glen glanced down at the youth's face, but seeing the seriousness in Rito's gaze, he suddenly forgot what he was going to say.

 

"Now, what was it… Ah, yes! It's about the baths. I heard that you soak in hot or cold water three times a day. Do you enjoy bathing that much?"

 

At Glen's question, Rito's expression instantly clouded. He glanced around anxiously, then stopped on the stairs, a look of confusion on his face.

 

"My apologies, Rito. You didn't want me to ask?"

 

"Oh, no... Forgive me, my lord. I worried you might find it odd... but baths calm me. I enjoy the quiet moments they bring."

 

"I see. Forgive me for asking something so peculiar. I only meant to say that if you ever wish for a hot bath, don't hesitate to ask for it. Order the water to be prepared, and bathe as you please. I asked, and it immediately became chilly.

 

"My lord, please, take this."

 

Rito removed the coat and handed it back to Glen. As they continued up the steps, Glen slipped his arms into the sleeves. He found himself wanting to touch something that had touched Rito's back and shoulders, craving even the smallest connection to his warmth. Though love between men was forbidden, he still longed to reach out and feel Rito's presence.

 

"It's still warm," Glen remarked softly. "Your coat holds onto your heat."

 

"Does it… displease you?"

 

"Not at all. It's a comforting feeling."

 

Glen savored the sensation, not rejecting it in the slightest. But even this trace of warmth and the brief contact of his hand, just moments ago, were not enough. He wondered what it would feel like to pull Rito into his embrace, to feel the youth's warmth pressed close to his heart.

 

"If you like being in the water, why don't we go swimming together next time? When spring comes, we can swim as much as you wish."

 

"When spring comes?" Rito echoed, his voice uncertain.

 

"Right, in your homeland, this weather is like midsummer. By day, you can swim in the sea as long as you like."

 

For a time, Rito was silent after Glen's invitation. When he finally spoke, he agreed, but it seemed as though he was on the verge of tears. His single eye glistened with a wet sheen, as if tears would spill at any moment. Alarmed, Glen reached out, confused as to what he had said wrong. He couldn't bear to leave the boy in such a state, so he wrapped his arm around Rito's trembling frame, holding him close in a friendly embrace.

 

***

 

Half a month had passed since Rito first arrived at the palace, and in the southern kingdom of Fyun, spring was gradually beginning to bloom. Soon, the warmth would spread across the continent, melting the ice in the northern lands, and Glen's aunt—who had supposedly recommended Rito—would arrive. If the truth of this falsehood were uncovered, Rito's fate would be sealed—either death or imprisonment after cruel torture awaited him.

 

Though Glen treated Rito more kindly than his position as a page warranted, this favor was built on the belief that he was recommended by a trusted relative. Should that fragile illusion crumble, so too would Rito's tale come to its end.

 

The prince was kind, and no doubt he would inquire about Rito's circumstances. But even Glen's gentle heart could not unravel the complexity of the situation. The truth was that the king and queen disfavored Rito's presence. Ever since he had arrived, Glen's engagement—once nearly finalized—had stalled, for now, the prince spent all his time in Rito's company, avoiding the presence of women.

 

(Before the ice melts in the northern country, I still have about a month left…)

 

Rito sank deep into the bath in his chamber, scrubbing his legs with care. To keep his legs from drying out, bathing three to five times a day in either warm or cold water was an absolute necessity. Outwardly, Rito had become human, but this was only in appearance—it did not mean he had transformed within. Even when he submerged his head fully beneath the water, he breathed with ease and could remain underwater as long as he wished. Yet, if he did not soak in water several times each day, his legs would dry out, and he would lose the ability to walk. The pain would be unbearable, like knives stabbing with every step.

 

(Compared to my elder sister, whose legs always pained her… I've been quite fortunate. And I have not lost my voice, so I can speak as much as I please.)

 

Today, once again, he had spent the entire day in Glen's company, reading poetry aloud at the prince's request. Glen had praised his pleasant voice, saying it was far more enjoyable to hear Rito's recitations than to read alone. Because of this, Rito had had no time to soak in the bath, and now his lower body ached terribly. But despite the pain, his heart brimmed with happiness, and the discomfort seemed no more than dust upon the wind. Even his sister, who had turned to sea foam, must have felt a similar joy that outweighed her suffering, Rito thought. The bittersweetness of that realization filled him with an emotion that words could not fully capture—a mingling of sorrow and joy.

 

(Even if they torture me to death, believing I am a spy… would I be able to say my life was happy? Until now, it has felt like a beautiful dream.)

 

Rito shook his head slightly in the bath. He knew that longing for more was dangerous, but it seemed to him that what he had was not enough. Before he even realized it, Glen's word "friend" had ceased to bring him joy.

 

Each time the prince said it, it was as though a line were drawn between them—a boundary that Rito could not cross. That single word emphasized the distance between them, and he felt as if Glen were pushing him away. Moreover, in their conversations, there had been subtle hints that love between men was forbidden. Perhaps Glen had sensed the forbidden affection that stirred in Rito's heart and was trying to ward it off with phrases like, "You are my friend," and "I cannot love you in that way."

 

Stepping out of the water, Rito touched his left eyelid, the one that no longer opened. He wondered, if he were to sacrifice something else in exchange for love, what could he offer?

 

He did not wish to lose any of the things Glen admired in him. If there was something that Glen liked, even in the slightest, then Rito was willing to hold on to it—no matter what the cost. If, by giving up something precious, he could become the prince's beloved, it mattered little what he had to lose. But even as these thoughts swirled within him, Rito recognized his own naivety. His elder sister had sacrificed her voice, endured great pain, and still, she had failed in love. Had she thrust a dagger into the prince's heart, staining her feet with his blood, she might have been saved… but she had harmed neither him nor his beloved, and so she became nothing more than sea foam.

 

(I wonder, what did she feel? The sorrow of being unable to be with her beloved? The pain of watching him love another? Surely, my sister felt these things in full measure.)

 

Though Rito could not yet imagine how deep that pain must have been, he felt as though he would understand it one day. No matter how he wished for it, a happy ending to his love seemed beyond his reach.

 

(After all, I am the same as Lord Glen… a man.)

 

Standing before the mirror, Rito dried his hair with a towel. His gaze fell to the thing between his legs, and he wondered if he should have asked the sea witch to take it away. Glen admired the beauty of his pale skin, his golden hair, and his blue eyes. So, Rito mused...

 

If he had changed his form, if he had met the prince as a young human maiden instead of what he was now… might he have already won Glen's heart by this time?

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